My series 1 keeps dropping the daily call with "call interrupted". It happened on Dec. 14 & 15, then worked normally until the 19th. It gives a "call interrupted" about 10 seconds after the status swtiches to "downloading." Any other ancient Tivo owners (the Tivo is old, not the owner) having this issue?

I'll try PPP over serial on Monday. It doesn't want to work with a USB to serial adapter. I tried Windows 7 and Virtual XP mode. I've got to borrow a Windows XP notebook PC with a genuine serial port from work.

It's funny how this issue always happens at the end of the year. Unless it's just me this time and my Tivo is finally dying.

I'm having the same problem - stopped updating a couple of days ago. I'm using a series 1 with turbonet. Test calls are fine, however, when making a call, it connects to retrieve account status, update clock, etc., but fails when downloading data. Message is Failed, call interrupted.

I restarted the recorder and I got a message saying the dial in number I was using is no longer valid and to select another. When trying to retrieve dial in numbers, it fails there in the same way, so I can't even get that. I contacted Tivo and they said nothing has changed and there was nothing more they can do. They also said by opening the box to install turbonet, warranty is void and support is no longer obligated. They suggested I email WeaKnees, which I did.

Response from WeaKnees:
"I think this is a problem on TiVo's side. We have heard from multiple people with this problem."

Hopefully Tivo will get enough calls to fix the problem. I hate to think that it's the end of life for this series 1.

Any Tivo reps reading this? TivoJerry used to be pretty good with support here on the forums, but don't know if he's still around.

For landline from Series 1:
1) using the telephone turned off call forwarding *73
2) using the telephone turned off call waiting *70
3) set tivo dial prefix to blank
4) set tivo call waiting to blank
5) set tivo detections to off

For landline using weaknees external modem:
1) using the telephone turned off call forwarding *73
2) using the telephone turned off call waiting *70
3) set tivo dial prefix to ,#319 (also tried ,#357 ,#334 ,#396)
4) set tivo call waiting to blank
5) set tivo detections to off

I've also tried calling through Ooma (must have call waiting prefix: *99). Same results. However, I get more connection problems since family members are using the internet while I'm trying to download.

I've unplugged tivo and let it reboot.

This appears to have happened since the beginning of Tivo forums (2005).

I've spent a day (while watching football) trying different parameters.

I'm wondering if holiday gifts are being opened early and the lines are jammed?

I also experienced the same thing very recently - I had a drive crash on my Series 1, and after I rebuilt it, I was unable to get it to complete guided setup. It would fail with "Failed- Call Interrupted".

I was eventually able to get through guided setup by using area code (000).

Since this seems to happen every year around this time of year, you'd think that TiVo would have been able to figure out the cause by now, so I can't help but suspect that it's due to something someone is doing on purpose, like maybe a rolling suspension of telephone line leasing to save money until the first of the year.

I, too, am seeing this with my SVR-2000; trying to get PPP over serial to work but am not having any success ("Failed. Service not answering." on the test screen, doing a lot of debugging, let's keep this thread focused on the failure mode.) I'm curious if anyone with an S1 who has jumped to PPP is having that work for them.

Last successful daily update was Wed. morning 12/18/2013. I've had many "call interrupted" messages, an occasional "service not answering". Many reboots. Attempts to select another dial-in # fail with "call interrupted" message when trying to get list of available numbers. Test calls are successful. (???) About an hour ago, I contacted support chat. Agent said "no problem here" than admitted TiVo is "having an outage re telephone connections" Not able to say how long til trouble will B fixed. Agent's final advice was "Keep trying to connect and it will eventually go through". Grrrr!

Having the same problem.. gets to downloading then says failed call interrupted

Read where someone said their problem was fixed by Clearing Program Data and To Do List. I did that, now I have no program data and it still won't connect to Tivo.

I connect over cable internet. Turbocard.

Tried to change the local phone number even though I didn't think that would have anything to do with my problem. It cannot complete the phone list call. It gets call interrupted when it is trying to connect. The test call works.

I had this problem before. I found an old post of mine about it. It linked to a post I think by TivoJerry. He wanted certain info to go to the Engineers. His original post about what they needed is gone.

I found my private response to TivoJerry about how I fixed the problem. It involves renaming the log file. Is there a way to clear the log without pulling the drive? I don't have easy access to an old desktop to even try this suggestion. I see log files listed on TivoWebPlus but I am afraid to delete them with no way to back them up.

part of my old message to TivoJerry is below:

Finally broke down and pulled the drive.

I renamed the log directory, and was able to get out of Guided Setup with 2 calls.

Other people have reported fixing call interrupted error this way, but state it eventually comes back.

I finally retired the last of my S1s, but in previous years the only real solution was to force a daily call over & over until it completes. As long as you don't do a test connection the data it gets on each call is cumulative and it will eventually get the full download.

Jeekers, U folks! Glad to see it's not just me! BUT if we all keep contacting TiVo support people, maybe they will fix. I truly believe the problem is on TiVo end and, not with our old dear machines. Last nite I saw another post suggesting that maybe TiVo is trying 2 force us to ask Santa for a Roamio or some such. LOL

Oh, dear Brenda! This is awful!! Please, everybody, contact the TiVo support place and complain. This must not continue. I have a few days of guide data, but daily calls are failing continually. "Call interrupted" Good luck to all and Merry Christmas.

I had several days of Guide data too. But I read a suggestion that someone cleared their guide data and then it worked. Didn't work for me, so now I have no guide data.

I have now tried over 45 times.

I have contacted support. But I am afraid they will say since there is a Turbocard I won't get any support.

When I had this problem before, I did Guided Setup, then got stuck there. I had to pull the drive from the Tivo, delete the logs, then do 2 calls and finally got back to normal. (I couldn't telnet in when I was in Guided Setup)

WeaKnees blog post on this situation. They say the techs are out until Monday.. but it was posted on Monday so does that mean we have to wait another week?! (remove the space before the www)

In desperation (when I was running guided setup after my recent drive failure), I changed the dial-in area code to (000), even though I'm not using the phone line at all. I'm using a Turbonet card, and have been for years.

The call appeared to complete, then a message appeared that (000) was not a valid area code. However, I was then given several options, one of which included indicating that I was a retailer. I decided to select this option, and the call completed successfully. Since then, I have been able to make the daily call. This is obviously not a desirable long-term solution, but it might help others who are struggling.

I'm also unsure if you can get to this option without running Guided Setup.

The call appeared to complete, then a message appeared that (000) was not a valid area code. However, I was then given several options, one of which included indicating that I was a retailer.

I tried the 000 idea earlier and it didn't work for me. I was not using Guided Setup though. I cannot even connect to get the dial up numbers. (But I get to the downloading message on the daily call, so a connection is getting made)

I don't think repeatedly trying to call is going to work in my situation. I have now tried over 50 times.

Possibly because I renamed the log directory, or maybe it got nothing from the 000.. I got a message saying there were no valid dial up numbers. I could not dial out to get the list. I don't know if this requires a phone cable. I don't know if it even matters because I am using a Turbocard. There should be valid numbers in my area.. the last time I looked there were several.

Last edited by brendag4; 12-24-2013 at 10:44 AM..
Reason: remembered what happened when I did 000

Thanks for your thoughts, folks! I just looked at my "to do" list and got an onscreen message "only 7 days of guide data, Please make a daily call" IF ONLY !!! I would laugh if I weren't crying so much! I had tried again this morning, got thru setting clock, checking account status, downloading for a short time. Then TiVo hung up on me & gave "Call interrupted" message. Call sure wasn't interrupted from my end!

I'm going to contact the TiVo support folks again, when I can take a break from Christmas preparations.

On the 'Phone dialing options' choose 'use these dialing options' at the top of the screen.

Step 4:

After completing the 'setup call'

including Connecting>Downloading>Hanging Up>Importing> Indexing

I hit select button and the next screen is titled "Dial-In Number"

Choose 'Done trying area codes'

Step 5:

The next screen is titled 'No local numbers'

Choose 'Sales & Marketing program'

Step 6:

I didnt screen shot the next screen few screens (I was too excited lol) but they were like 'Choose your cable company'; the next screen was 'Choose the channels' [I selected 'all'] and finally got to 'Program Call (20-30 min)'

Step 7:

After about 20-30 min I got to the 'Congratulations' screen.

However, my tivo remote is not getting past this screen. I can see the tivo green light on the front change from green to yellow when I press select but nothing happened.

I physically pulled the plug from the back of the tivo.

Step 8:

After rebooting, tivo now shows the green main menu screen.

I then did 'Test phone connection' again and it worked.

After 1 week without success, I'm now 'downloading...phone in use'

Special thanks to Pianoman for recommending setting the area code to '000'

Thanks, Series1Ron. Sounds complicated & time consuming but if it works, YAY for you!

I'm kinda busy now getting ready 4 tomorrow, but may call the TiVo folks who helped me in summer 2012 at 877 367-8486. As U may see below, the agent at "on-line support chat" was not much use yesterday.

Special thanks to Pianoman for recommending setting the area code to '000'

I hope this brings a Christmas Miracle to you!!

Glad it worked out for you! It seems to be the combination of area code "000" and choosing the "Sales & Marketing" program that bypasses the problem. Hopefully TiVo will chime in once they've fixed the actual problem on their end.